Improvement in game apparatus



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UNITEIII) STATES.

ATENT CFFICE.

JOHN C. VILHELM, OF SHAVERS CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN GAME APPARATUS.

lSpeoilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,706, dated December 16, 1873; application led November 8, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN C. WILHELM, of Shavers Creek, in the county of Huntingdon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Game of Intellectual Amusement and Skill; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speciiication, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

The iigures of the drawing show a representation of a plan view of my game-board and pieces.

. This invention has relation to a parlor or indoor game of skill of the class which is generally played by two players with movable pieces or men upon a checkered board, in the manner of chess, drafts, and other games of like character; and it consist-s in the novelty of the construction, arrangement, and moves of the pieces, and of the system of the game, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The pieces generally have republican names of office, andare, therefore, better adapted for the amusement of the leisure hours of the people of a free Vcountry than those of chess or other games where the pieces are known by titles of royalty and its appendages. v

In the accompanying drawings, the letterA indicates the checkered board, having ten squares each way, or one hundred squares in all. The pieces are arranged upon the four lines of squares nearest the opposite edges B B of the board, in the manner hereinafter described.

Each player is provided with forty-eight pieces, as follows: Forty original, including a president, a, indicated by a shield or other suitably-formed piece 5 a capitol, b, or miniature domed building; a iiag, c,- a general or star-shaped piece, d,- two' trains or wheelshaped pieces, e; two admirals or anchorshaped pieces, f; two ships, g; two monitors, h,- two cavalrymen or horse-shaped pieces, t; four artillerymen or cannon-shaped pieces, k; two forts, l; andtwentymilitiamenor pawn-shaped pieces, m. Eight promoted pieces, including a veteran or chevron-shaped piece, a; a sergeant or diamond-shaped piece,p; amajor or crossedswords piece, q; a colonel or crossed-cannon piece, 1^,- an engineer, indicated by a field-glass, s; a quartermaster, indicated by a trefoil, t; a surgeon, indicated by a caduceus, u; and a chaplain, indicated by a cross, o.

rIhe forty original pieces are, when the players commence, arranged upon the board in the following manner: At each end of the line nearest the player, or base-line, is placed a ship, next to each ship an admiral, and next to each admiral a train, leaving four inner squares, which are occupied, respectively, from the right, by the president, capitol, liag, and general. The pieces on the second line are arranged as follows: In front of the ships, at each end, are the monitors, next the cavalrymen, and next two artillerymen, one in front of each train; next are placed the forts, and next to these the other two artillerymen, which thus occupy the two inner squares in front of the capitol and iiag. The third and fourth lines are occupied by militiamen. The promoted pieces are not all upon the board in the ori ginal arrangement. More than one of each of the promoted pieces may be required.l

The following is the explanation of terms:

Base-The rear line of squares next each player.

Gcean--The outer row of squares at either flank.

Coastline-The row of squares next the ocean.

Infantry-Militiamem veterans, and sergeants. v

Mounted forces-kCavahy, artillery, major, colonel, and general.

Naval ibrces-Monitors, ships, and admirals, supplies, trains, and ships, and forts in communication with a train or a ship.

Non-combatants Pieces which do not efJ fect captures, to wit, the capitol, the president, the ag, the trains, the engineer, quartermasA ter, surgeon, and chaplain.

Direct-Not diagonally.

ZigZag-Back and forth on two rows of squares alternately, direct or diagonally.

Under re--Liable to capture at the next move.

In conjunction-Occupying squares which touch each other by a side or angle.

In communication Capable of being brought into conjunction by one move of eitherpiece.

Protected- Secured from capture by conjunction with certain other pieces.

The following are the nioven'lents of the pieces:

Militiam en-Dia gonall y forward one square.

Vcteran--Dia'gonally forward or backward one square.

Sergeant- Direct one square.

Major-Direct or diagonally one square.

`Colonel--Diagonally one or two squares.

Artillery-Direct one or two squares. Cavalry-Two squares, one direct and one diagonally.

Fort-DirectY vor diagonally one or two squares, not on the ocean.A

Monitor-One, two, or three squares direct on the ocean, or zigzag en ocean and coastline.

ShipmDirect any distance on the ocean.

Non-combatants--Direct or diagonally one or two squares.

Admiral-As a monitor, ship, r colonel.

General-As any other piece whatever.

No piece except supplies can move over the boundary-line, which is the middle line between the opposin g parties, beyond communication with supplies.

Any two pieces mutually movable to each others squares can., as one move, exchange places, but not over the central line, which is the Vmiddle line of the board at right angles with the boundary-line.

All pieces moving more than one square can move over pieces of their own color, but not over an enemy.

The first move for the first game is determined by lot; afterward it belongs to each player alternately.

Either player may at any time decline to move; but if the other also declines, he must then move, or it is a drawn game.

If a player touch a piece without notifying his antagonist of a purpose other than to move it, he maybe compelled to move it, and a piece once set down may be required to 'remain.-

If there be two players upon a side, each moves only the pieces on his own side of the central line. He may move a piece from his side across the central line, but not the reverse.

The laws of capture are as follows: Artillery, forts, and vessels, without moving, capture any piece within two squares direct, or one square diagonally. Other combatant pieces capture by displacement--that is to say, they take the pieces to whose squares No piece can be captured which Tfhen any piece is left beyond they more. is protected..

communication. with supplies, it is liable to capture as if under lire. Only one piece can be captured at one time, each capture counting as a move, except when made by displacement. 1n this case the move and capture count as one. The game is won by the capture ofthe flag and capitol.

The powers of protection of the pieces are as follows: A sergeant protects infantry; a major protects cavalry and artillery; a colonel protects mounted forces; an admiral protects naval forces; the general protects the flag and all combatants 5 the president protects all pieces; the flag and capitol mutually protect each other; the engineer protects artillery, forts, vessels, and the capital; the quartermaster protects supplies; the chaplain and surgeon protect infantry, cavalry, artillery, and all officers. A piece under fire or beyond supplies cannot protect another, unless it be itself protected by a piece which is in supply and not under re. No piece can protect another not in eonj unetion with it.

Pieces are promoted as follows: Hilitiam en penetrating the enemys base-line become veterans 5 militiamen capturing superior infantry become sergeants; infantry capturing cavalry or artillery become majors 5 infantry capturing a major, colonel, or general may be made a colonel; infantry capturing a fort or the eapitol may be made an engineer; infantry capturing a source of supply maybe made a quartermaster; infantry capturing a Vessel may be made an admiral; infantry capturing a president or any non-combatant officer may be made a chaplain; infantry capturing a flag, general, 0r admiral may be made a surgeon.

There cannot be of the same rank and color at thc same time more than one non-combatant officer, or more than two combatant officers, one 011 each side of the central line.

Promotions, except to veterans, maybe dispensed with, or they may be confined to infantry or combatants, according to the proficiency or pleasureof the players.

Promotions, if made, must be made immediately as they are merited, before the opposing plz yer has moved.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The game apparatus herein described, consisting of the board and pieces, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JNO. C. XVILHELM.

Wlitnesses JOHN RUNG, GEO B. PORTER. 

